A Georgia gubernatorial candidate riding around the state in a “deportation bus” has been greeted with protests by immigrants and other residents who say his campaign message is hateful and racist.

The bus carrying state Sen. Michael Williams stopped Wednesday at a Clarkston strip mall housing a Nepalese restaurant and a Halal butcher and grocer.

About 100 protesters turned out to greet Williams, including Joan Coles, a Clarkston resident who says Williams is using scare tactics to demonize immigrants.

Williams says in a campaign video ad that his bus will send immigrants living in the country illegally “home.” He says he plans to bring the bus to Georgia’s “dangerous sanctuary cities.”

The candidate dismissed critics who have called his campaign rhetoric racist. He says he’s only interested in upholding the law.

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4:20 p.m.

An ad for a Georgia GOP gubernatorial hopeful that features a “Deportation Bus” has been reinstated on YouTube after being removed for violating the website’s hate speech policy.

The ad was taken down early Wednesday but was shortly made available again on the video sharing platform.

YouTube said in a statement that it sometimes makes the wrong call on videos flagged by users and, in those circumstances, takes action to restore them.

The candidate is state Sen. Michael Williams of Cumming, former state co-chair for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Williams says in the ad that his bus will send immigrants living in the country illegally “home.”

Williams is bringing the bus to what his campaign calls Georgia’s “dangerous sanctuary cities.”

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11:30 a.m.

A Georgia GOP gubernatorial candidate’s ad featuring a “Deportation Bus” has been removed from YouTube for violating the website’s policy on hate speech.

The ad was taken down Wednesday.

Michael Williams is former state co-chair for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. He says in the ad that his bus will send immigrants living the country illegally “home.”

Williams is bringing the bus to what his campaign calls Georgia’s “dangerous sanctuary cities” beginning Wednesday.

Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry has alerted local police over concerns that immigration vigilantes might seek residents to put on the bus.